Reuters, 06/05 16:23 CET
By Ayla Jean Yackley
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A
prominent Turkish newspaper editor said on Friday journalism was on
trial as he gave his final defense against charges of revealing state
secrets in a case that has drawn international criticism of the EU
candidate’s press freedom record.
A verdict was expected later in the day in the closed-door trial.
Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, and
Erdem Gul, its Ankara bureau chief, could face life in jail on espionage
charges and attempting to topple the government for publishing footage
that purported to show Turkey’s state intelligence agency ferrying
weapons into Syria in 2014.
Their lawyers said the prosecutor did not seek the
espionage charge in his closing statement, but nonetheless called for
Dundar to be jailed for 25 years for procuring and revealing state
secrets and Gul for to be jailed for 10 years for publishing them.
“We are now on trial for our story: for acquiring and
publishing state secrets,” Dundar told Reuters during a court recess.
“This confirms journalism is on trial, making our defense easier and a
conviction harder.”
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Source: Euronews
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